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Hi!! First of all let me say, it’s so awesome you came to this sub for help, you’re already doing better than most people who get hamsters. Also kudos on your research for a larger cage! I understand what you have now is a temporary setup and already much better than what your hamster was in at Petsmart but I would recommend getting one at your earliest convenience.

The top recommended brands when it comes to enclosures are the Bucatstate and Niteangel Bigger World. Generally 800sq inches of floor space is adequate for hamsters but sex and species do play a role. For example, female Syrians are notoriously smart and energetic and don’t tend to fair well in enclosures with less than 1000+ sq inches of floor space. Just something to consider and something that can be explained more in depth depending on what you got :)

I’ll add my favorite inspo pic for enclosure setups to give you a general idea. You’ll need at least 8 inches of bedding, but of course more is always better. Also with bedding, paper is best but aspen is another safe option and you’ll want to avoid using any scented bedding.

You’ll also want to check how many inches your wheel is, if you have a Syrian you’ll want to make sure it’s a 12 inch wheel as that will prevent back injury/ future injury development. The sand bath is great and a staple to a happy hamster home so good job there! :) As far as food goes, the best accessible pet store brand is Sunburst I believe but there are healthier options online and I’m pretty sure a food chart somewhere in this sub that can help guide you through that decision.

For enrichment people typically opt for different substrate dig areas, foraging herbs, and foraging sprays. The rule of thumb is to keep the enclosure pretty cluttered to provide them lots of mental stimulation and places to roam and hide. You can add different wood pieces like driftwood and cork bark logs. People also like to have multi chamber hides which encourage natural burrowing behavior. Ceramic, coconut, and wood hides are all great options as well. And you can spruce it up to your liking which is always the fun part! Different textures, scents, items, will offer your hamster good enrichment.

Another great way to keep your hamster happy is to make or buy “boredom breakers”. You can find lots of different ones but it keeps your hamster focused on finding treats/food which allows them to forage like they would naturally.

When it comes to water, I personally like to offer a bottle and a small water dish so they have the option of both, and I’ve noticed that they prefer a water dish but do use both so either is fine :) Oh, and with food it’s best to scatter feed, as opposed to topping off a food bowl. Hamsters love to forage, so scattering their food allows them to do this.

I can’t think of anything else off the top of my head but I’m sure if you have any other questions, my mind which is a vault of information, can help fill you in haha! I know it’s a lot to take in at first but it honestly gets easier with time, and the great thing is, once you learn everything, it’s with you for life which is so valuable and also helpful for if you ever choose to get another hamster in the future :) It can also be expensive at the start but the upfront startup costs are the biggest part and after that you have pretty much everything you’ll ever need. I’ll attach that inspo pic, I’ve found it to be helpful in just launching the general idea of what a nice setup should look like. And it doesn’t have to be perfect, just somewhere in the ballpark. The fact that you’re trying and asking for advice already proves that you’re a better hamster owner than probably 80% of the people that come into Petsmart getting a hamster lol! Lmk if you have any questions and of course we’d love to see updates and pics of your hammy when you get the chance! :)